Making a Big Scene
by Elizabeth Culmer
Summary: One potential reason why Kira's gang doesn't like Setsuna.


**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Kaori Yuki, Hakusensha, VIZ Media, et al. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** This is a request ficlet for bewize, in response to the prompt: _I would love to read something with Kira and Setsuna, preferably something pre-series and also preferably something involving a fight, with each other, with someone else, anything like that. :-)_

**Summary:** One potential reason why Kira's gang doesn't like Setsuna.

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**Making a Big Scene  
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Halfway through his first year of junior high -- after he and Sara tried to run away -- Setsuna transferred, hoping to get away from his past. His new school was fairly exclusive and part of a ladder system, so nobody else from his old school had applied here or passed the entrance exams. Nobody here knew he was weird. Nobody here already hated him.

If he stayed quiet and controlled his temper, like Kira was always telling him, maybe he could actually make some friends.

He trailed a cheerful boy named Okazaki into the cafeteria, wishing he'd put together his own bento instead of letting Sara make his lunch. She always wanted things to be sickeningly cute, and that wasn't the sort of first impression he wanted to make.

"You're awfully quiet," Okazaki said as they sat down. "We don't bite, you know -- except for Kira's gang, but even they don't usually pick on people unless you insult them first. Stay out of their way and you'll be fine."

Setsuna blinked. "Kira? Kira Sakuya?"

Okazaki gave him a funny look. "Yes, Kira Sakuya. Nobody messes with him -- he even beat up a teacher last year! You know him?"

"Kira-sempai goes here?" Setsuna said, mostly to himself. "Why didn't I know that? I told him I was starting here, so why didn't he say anything?"

"Because I thought you knew, amoeba-brain." Setsuna twisted around to see Kira walking toward him, trailed by another senior. "You've seen my uniform often enough to realize it's the same as yours. How's your day going?"

"Kira-sempai!" Setsuna said, as Kira dropped onto the bench beside him and ruffled his hair. Across the table, Okazaki gaped in surprise. "It's okay. The classes aren't too hard, and nobody hates me so far. This is Okazaki, who's showing me around."

Kira looked speculatively across the table. "Okazaki. You look familiar. Are you the kid Yoji knocked over by the gates last week?"

"Yes," Okazaki said, hunching in on himself. "I'm sorry about that."

"Don't act like it was your fault," Kira said. "He's the one who didn't bother watching his feet. So he didn't apologize to you? I shouldn't be surprised -- he doesn't understand shit like that -- but I'll have to kick his ass this afternoon." Setsuna bit his lip to keep from laughing; the idea of Kira, who never apologized for anything, acting as a moral judge against one of his friends was just too much.

"What? Damn it, Kira, what bit your ass now?" The other senior, a tall boy with wavy brown hair, stepped forward and slammed his hand against the table. "I don't have to go around apologizing to punk freshmen."

"See? Yoji's nothing but an uneducated jerk," Kira said to Okazaki. "Don't end up like him."

Setsuna lost his struggle and laughed out loud.

"Hey!" Yoji said, leaning past Kira to scowl in Setsuna's face. "You think I'm funny, you little snot? You think you're better than me?"

Setsuna grinned. "I _know_ I'm better than you."

"Fuck you," said Yoji, and grabbed hold of Setsuna's uniform collar, yanking him to his feet; Setsuna scrambled over the bench, stretching out his hands to keep his balance. "Nobody disrespects me, especially not little snot-nosed fresh--"

Setsuna punched him in the nose, interrupting his speech. Then he slammed his knee into Yoji's crotch for good measure. The splash of blood across his knuckles made him dizzy for a moment, but he closed his eyes and shook it off.

"You don't deserve respect," he said as Yoji dropped to the floor with a gasping moan. "Kira-sempai, why do you hang out with losers like him?"

"Because I feel like it," Kira said, prodding Yoji with his foot. "Nice work, Setsuna -- you saved me the trouble of pounding sense into him myself. You realize, though, that you just earned Yoji's undying hatred, and he'll make sure the rest of the gang shares his opinion of you."

"Like I care." Being hated by a small gang was nothing compared to being hated by his entire school, teachers included. "Are you hanging out with them after school?"

Kira crouched down and hoisted Yoji upright, slinging the groaning senior's arm over his shoulder. "Nah. Kato's got everyone excited about a line on a new pusher, but I'm not into hard stuff. You want to catch a movie or something?"

Setsuna looked at Okazaki, who was staring at him like he'd grown a second head. Actually, everyone in the cafeteria was staring at him. He winced -- he'd blown his first impression to hell. Still, he might be able to salvage something, and he ought to try making new friends instead of always depending on Kira. But...

"Yeah, sure. You're paying."

"I'll meet you by the gates," Kira said, smiling just a little. Then he hauled Yoji out of the room.

Setsuna sat back down and opened his bento. It was exactly as cute as he'd expected. Somehow, though, he didn't think _that_ was going to matter much anymore.

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**AN:** Thanks for reading, and please review! I'm particularly interested in knowing what parts of the story worked for you, what parts didn't, and _why_. Also, I'm guessing about the timeline of pre-manga events (Setsuna and Sara's attempted escape vs. Setsuna's first meeting with Okazaki), but in the absence of concrete evidence, there's no reason to say this _couldn't_ have happened.


End file.
